1. Field of the Invention
The instant disclosure relates to a convenient, hand held personal protection device which provides additional protection through multi-layering its defenses and alarms.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
With the increasing prevalence of violent crime is an acute need for a personal protection device that is safe, easy to use, and compact. Sales of typical defensive sprays, such as Mace, have increased dramatically in the last several years. The media coverage of violent crimes, particularly rapes and muggings against women, have heightened the fear that women, as well as men, feel in conducting their personal or business affairs in urban or suburban areas. Not only have the media extensively covered the wave of violent crime in this country, but the increases in violent crime have been documented statistically. In New Jersey, for example, violent crime rose 67% since 1974. Among juveniles, violent crimes increased 69% in that twenty year period and arrests of juveniles for weapons offenses rose 60% last year alone. A personal protection device, therefore, will serve the dual purpose of both protecting the potential victims and easing anxiety with the knowledge that an attacker can be effectively deterred by the device.
Various personal protection devices have been devised to deter attackers. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,824 to Corbin, a hand held alarm is disclosed which sounds a high intensity light and loud horn. The Corbin device, however provides no physical deterrent to the attacker. In a remote area, an attacker may gamble that no one will hear the alarm or, alternatively, he can finish the attack prior to anyone's arrival.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,684 to Vidovic et al discloses a loud audio alarm system for a ski-pole to locate lost skiers. Again, there is no physical deterrent to the attacker.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,377 to Roberts discloses a defense baton which incorporates audible and visible alarms with a defense spray. Carrying the baton, however, would be awkward and would be obvious to a potential attacker. The obviousness may dissuade some potential attackers, however many may simply alter their attack to render the baton ineffective.
Novak, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,164 discloses a glove which incorporates a signal and spray retardant. The device, although providing a physical deterrent, is not readily put on and removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,474 to Mariol discloses a personal security device which utilizes a two piece telescoping housing. The device incorporates a manual whistle, flash cube and pressurized gas. The odorous pressurized gas may also include a paint or stain. When the pressurized gas is expelled it emits a shrieking noise. The Mariol patent provides the advantage over many prior art patents in that it incorporates a deterrent to the attacker. However, the skrieking noise appears to be a continuous sound, which may be mistaken for other sounds. The flash cube provides only one opportunity to visually blind the attacker. The Mariol patent does not allow for any misses. The sound is only emitted during the spraying of the gas and the light is only a rapid flash.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,044 an electric stun gun using electrically conductive fluid is disclosed. The stun gun disclose although effective, is not portable to the extent that it will fit into a pocket or purse. A more portable stun gun is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,336 to Kuo. The stun gun also incorporates a siren and strobe light. The stun gun, however requires a proximity to the assailant which may not be desirable.
The prior art does not provide a small, convenient, multi-layered personal protection device. The instant invention discloses a device that combines multiple layers of defense against potential attackers, together with small size, safety and convenience of use.